Chasing Jessie
by Ari Rockefeller
Summary: James roams around the European countryside looking for his kidnapped partner. (Cameo: Remy from Street Fighter III) (First published 9/15/2001)
1. Hopeful Search

DATE: 14 September 2001  
LOCATION: The Autobahn highway, Germany  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Every day brought more kilometres of highway. Every day brought more loneliness and solitude. Every day brought more strangers, more faces to forget as easily as he saw them. And every day brought him farther and farther away from his goal.  
  
For the past two years, James von Malice has been searching the world for his missing partner. Together, he and his partner Jessie were the standard-bearers for Team Rocket, an organization bent on conquering the world through stealing and using Pokémon. Jessie and James travelled all over together, doing their best to stay in their boss's good graces. However, an upstart duo - Butch and Cassidy - quickly stole their thunder and became the boss's favorites. They made Jessie and James look like idiots. Jessie and James' collective groove was disrupted. They failed missions. They wouldn't check in for days. They were made into imbeciles in the eyes of the boss. Another factor that started Jessie and James on the road to disgrace was ever since a would-be heist at a Pokémon center was thwarted by a cocky young trainer named Ash Ketchum.  
  
As he drove the Autobahn highway, following a tip related to Jessie's whereabouts, images of his battles with a younger and less experienced Ash. To them, he was seen as a twerp. A persistent thorn in their side that just happened to be in the right place at the right time to stop every attempt to steal Pokémon. That was years ago. James saw Ash competing in Pokémon tournaments, and an occasional martial arts event. Indeed, Ash had begun to change. To grow. Nowadays, the term "twerp" is inappropriate. He wouldn't admit it, but James had respect for Ash.  
  
When James learned that Jessie was missing, he was distraught. The first thing his instincts told him to do was look for her. And he did...this was about two years ago. He scoured most of North America, and was now roaming through central Europe looking for his partner. But...was she more than just a partner? She had been his friend, that's for damn sure. Admittedly, when he first met Jessie, he didn't think too much of her. But over time, they grew to respect each other...then to like each other. But had they grown to...love one another? That had to be what kept James from giving up his search. It must be love! Hopefully...Jessie will still be alive when he can tell her that to her face..........  
  
James was snapped back to reality by the loud horn of a Mercedes. He swerved sharply to the left on his motorcycle to avoid hitting it, and sped between two other vehicles. His companion, who was seated behind him, screamed in fear.  
  
MEOWTH: (pounding on James' head) WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION?! YER GONNA GET US KILLED!!!  
  
JAMES: (after letting out a shriek) STOP IT, MEOWTH! I CAN'T CONCENTRATE WITH YOU POUNDING MY HEAD LIKE THAT!!!  
  
Moments later, James had control of his bike again, and was crusing at his previous high speed. One convenient - albeit hazardous - thing about the Autobahn was its lack of a speed limit.  
  
MEOWTH: Maybe we should stop for a while. You look like you could use a rest. And besides, I'm gettin' kinda hungry, anyway.  
  
JAMES: I hear that!  
  
James veered off to the side, and caught an onramp that led to a small rest stop.  
  
James wasn't totally alone on his adventure. Meowth, a Pokémon that knew how to talk, kept James company. A trainer himself, James had several other Pokemon of his own - Weezing, Victreebell and Girafarig - but Meowth was the only one he could have a conversation with.  
  
They grabbed a bite to eat at a diner, and James gassed up his motorcycle before hitting the road again. Meowth was going over a map as James paid for the gas. James comes from a very wealthy family. His great grandfather, Hemler von Malice, lived through the Third Reich in Germany and was a German partisan during that time. James' father runs a very successful law firm out of Cambridge, MA, and had more than enough to provide for his wife and son. Enough so that he could take his family on vacation anywhere in the world he desired, and enough so he could almost spoil his son (e.g. the BMW motorcycle which James was currently gassing).  
  
MEOWTH: (discarding a toothpick) Ya know, if we move fast enough, we can make it to Paris by about 11 o'clock a' so.  
  
JAMES: I can only imagine how souped up border patrol will be after the terrorist attacks a few days ago. The whole world's on edge.  
  
MEOWTH: Hey...ya don't suppose Jessie was in New York when that happened, do ya?  
  
James paused, and let out a deep sigh.  
  
JAMES: No...she's still alive, Meowth. I can feel it in my heart...she's out there somewhere. And I'm going to find her!  
  
MEOWTH: So what're we waitin' for? Let's hit da road!  
  
James started up his bike as Meowth climbed on, holding on to James, and James sped back onto the highway.  
  
***  
  
A few hours passed, and James happened to see a highway sign that read BORDER PATROL - 10 KM. James pulled off to the side and produced an empty Pokéball.  
  
JAMES: You should get in this, Meowth?  
  
MEOWTH: Huh? Why?!  
  
JAMES: We'll be at the border soon and we'll be in serious trouble if I'm caught trying to bring pets into another country! Trust me, it'll only be for a little while!  
  
MEOWTH: You promise?  
  
JAMES: Yes! I'll let you out as soon as the coast is clear.  
  
MEOWTH: (sigh) Fine...  
  
James activated the Pokéball. The narrow beam of red light struck Meowth, which overtook Meowth and drew him into the ball. He clipped it to his belt and started to drive again.  
  
  
  
  
TIME: Around midnight  
LOCATION: A rave in Paris, France  
  
  
James wasn't the only one searching for Jessie. Only, these people were searching for her and James as well.  
  
When he learned of their disappearances, Salvadore Giovanni, the "boss" of Team Rocket, denounced Jessie and James to Team Rocket as deserters and traitors. He also placed a large bounty on their heads to whoever could bring the two rogues to him. He had a pretty good idea who would be the ones to bring them in.  
  
Butch and Cassidy found themselves in France, wandering around an enormous rave hoping to find James. They had been tipped off to his wherabouts, and were told he would be in Paris tonight.  
  
BUTCH: I'm starting to think we've been had. I can't find him anywhere!  
  
CASSIDY: Just keep looking! We've only been here a few minutes!  
  
Cassidy and Butch forced their way through the rave, looking for James. They thought that a guy with shiny blue hair would stick out in a crowd. But at a rave such as this, hair was all the colors of the rainbow...as well as clothing. Glowing sticks were swung around, pink, yellow, green, blue, purple, clothing and plastic jewelry glowed under the black lights. This, combined with the loud, booming music and wild display of flashing lights was starting to give Butch a headache.  
  
They started asking random people if they saw James, flashing a picture of him to them. Neither of them spoke French, making their job even more difficult. Finally, they caught a spark of hope.  
  
Butch spoke slowly in a loud tone so he could be understood by this kid. He was taller than Butch, and had long, stringy bluish-silver hair. He wore a skin-tight black leather shirt with the Greek letter Omega embroidered in white on the front. It zipped in the front and on the sleeves. Red leather pants and large brown shoes completed the emsemble. The young man known as Remy wasn't taking these two very seriously. Until...  
  
BUTCH: (flashing the picture of James) DO...YOU...KNOW...HIM?!  
  
Remy only gave a fleeting glance. But when he recognized the man in the photo, his eyes widened. He and James met somewhere before; he couldn't remember how, though (the last few months or so are a total blank for him). But this face looked very familiar.  
  
REMY: (to himself) Monseiur von Malice?  
  
BUTCH: WELL?!  
  
REMY: (in French) I'm not telling you anything.  
  
CASSIDY: WHAT DID YOU SAY?!  
  
Remy disappeared into the crowd, leaving Butch and Cassidy alone. Butch was furious at being insulted.  
  
BUTCH: That guy knows something...!  
  
CASSIDY: Let's find him!  
  
The two Team Rocket members moved into the crowd, trying to find that guy. Whatever info he had on James was going to be squeezed from him one way or another. 


	2. Giovanni's Pets

Frustrated with their lack of leads, Butch and Cassidy stormed out of the rave, aimlessly heading across the street. They plopped down on a bench used at a bus stop, sulking.  
  
BUTCH: Dammit! Nothing...  
  
CASSIDY: I'm glad we got out of there anyway...I don't do too well in crowds.  
  
BUTCH: I'm starting to think we got screwed over! Whoever gave us that bogus tip is gonna pay dearly!  
  
Across the street, Butch and Cassidy saw three people leading a fourth young man out of the rave. Apparently, the mixture of substances the fourth guy took impacted him. Two of the three standing guys were telling the third not to let him lay down. But when they saw that scene, they caught a glimpse of a lanky young man with stringy, silvery-blue hair walking away.  
  
BUTCH: It's that guy! I'm still pissed at him!  
  
CASSIDY: Let's get 'em!  
  
They took two steps out into the street, then jumped back to the sidewalk with a startled scream. A silver BMW motorcycle nearly ran them over. Butch scrambled to his feet, stressing to see who the driver was. He saw a familiar hairstyle (the driver didn't wear a helmet), along with a Meowth sitting behind him, clinging to his waist.  
  
BUTCH: Wait a second...was that?!  
  
CASSIDY: I think that was James!  
  
BUTCH: Finally, we've found him! His ass belongs to us now! What're we waiting for?!  
  
CASSIDY: It's payback time!  
  
=====  
  
MEOWTH: Who were 'dey?  
  
JAMES: I dunno...they almost got ran over, though.  
  
MEOWTH: (sigh) French.  
  
James turned down a small street, and parked his bike. After removing the keys, he pushed a small button on his key ring, arming the anti-theft device. The security system was James' idea; a loud, piercing shrill would sound - audible for about half a kilometre away - as well as trigger which would send 100,000+ volts of electricity through the would-be thief.  
  
MEOWTH: T'ink it'll be safe here?  
  
JAMES: I dunno...would iyou/i want your nuts to be electrocuted should you try and steal that?  
  
MEOWTH: ::shudder:: No t'anks!  
  
Coming out onto the larger street, they could hear the bass booming through the walls of where the rave was being held. Some people were still gathered outside.  
  
MEOWTH: We're gonna need a place ta hide for a while.  
  
JAMES: You're right, Meowth. Hmm...what's goin' on over there?  
  
MEOWTH: We passed it comin' down here.  
  
JAMES: Let's check it out.  
  
Quickly and easily, the two easily disappeared in the crowd. The next stop was the front door - and into the rave and all the other goodness therein - when their attention was diverted.  
  
???: Monseiur von Malice?  
  
James turned around slowly, puzzled. Who in this area knew him? As James turned around fully, Remy's facial expression didn't change as he met the startled face of James.  
  
JAMES: What the...Remy?  
  
REMY: Ahh...you remember me then?  
  
MEOWTH: Wait, you two know each other?  
  
REMY: Oui, monseiur. Um...(looking around)  
  
MEWOTH: DOWN HERE!  
  
REMY: What the...this cat can talk?  
  
JAMES: We have a lot of catching up to do.  
  
=====  
  
James, Meowth and Remy managed to break away from the scene, where James could fill his old friend in on his current situation.  
  
REMY: So how goes the old Team Rocket deal?  
  
JAMES: We left Team Rocket years ago. And now our old boss has branded us traitors and wants us dead.  
  
MEOWTH: Our other pa'tna, Jessie, disappeared...'dat's why we ditched Team Rocket. We've been tryin' ta find her ev'a since.  
  
REMY: I hope you two find her. It would be a shame if she turned up dead, no?  
  
JAMES: Whatever happened to her, it's the boss' fault, and he knows it! But instead of owning up to his actions, he draws everyone's attention as far away from them as possible...and he had the nerve to call ius/i imbeciles!  
  
REMY: Such a weak man...he must've put quite a handsome bounty on you two if you have spent all your time roaming all of Europe.  
  
MEOWTH: What can we say? Greed is contaigous.  
  
The three froze at the sound of a large explosion. People were seen fleeing from the scene of the blast, many running for their lives.  
  
MEOWTH: What da?!  
  
REMY: Someone must be in trouble! We must hurry!  
  
James and Meowth wished they didn't. For when they arrived at what everyone was fleeing from, they saw the silhouettes of two very familiar people, accompanied by a haunting laugh.  
  
JAMES: Oh...NO!  
  
???: Oh yes, YES!  
  
MEOWTH: Not the iother/i Team Rocket!  
  
CASSIDY: Prepare for trouble, you're like a sitting duck!  
  
BUTCH: And make it double! You're shit out of luck!  
  
CASSIDY: To infect the world with devistation...  
  
BUTCH: To blight all peoples in every nation...  
  
CASSIDY: To denounce the goodness of truth and love...  
  
BUTCH: To extend our wrath to the stars above...  
  
CASSIDY: Cassidy!  
  
BUTCH: Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuutch...  
  
CASSIDY: Team Rocket, from who you should run with fright!  
  
BUTCH: Surrender now, you can't win the fight!  
  
MEOWTH: 'Dat ain't right...  
  
BUTCH & CASSIDY: ::facevault::  
  
Slight pause...  
  
REMY: Sacle bleu...?  
  
JAMES: Remember the ones I told you were looking to collect that bounty?  
  
REMY: Yeah?  
  
JAMES: These two are the most determined.  
  
Butch and Cassidy popped back to their feet, Pokéballs in hand.  
  
BUTCH: Stupid Meowth! You threw off my groove!  
  
CASSIDY: We were on a roll until you had to open your big yapper!  
  
MEOWTH: Pheh!  
  
BUTCH: We're gonna be rich! Rich, I tell you! ::throwing the Pokéball:: Raticate, GO!  
  
CASSIDY: Go, Drowzee!  
  
The two balls popped open, and a large rat and what looked like a small elephant walking on two legs appeared in their place.  
  
JAMES: We're not going down without a fight! Victrebell, GO!  
  
James threw the Pokéball containing Victreebel into the fray, and the giant grass-type Pokémon emerged. Victreebel screeched, lunged, and sucked Remy into its opening. Considering how they were dressed from the waist up - James in a black polo shirt, Remy with his black leather zip-up shirt - and considering they both have blue hair, it was easy for a Pokémon of low intelligence to confuse the two.  
  
Remy spewed out a number of French obsenities as he struggled to free himself from Victreebel. He flailed about wildly before James returned it to its ball.  
  
MEOWTH: Wierd...it usually goes aft'a you, foist.  
  
REMY: (more French obscenities)  
  
JAMES: I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't know it would do that!  
  
Not wanting to argue further, James simply folded his arms in disgust. He blew a stray strand of hair out of his eyes.  
  
JAMES: Well, forget it. I'll just use the old standby...Weezing, GO!  
  
This time, Weezing emerged, lurching towards its opponent.  
  
BUTCH: Raticate...Hyper Fang attack!  
  
CASSIDY: Drowzee...Confuse Ray!  
  
JAMES: Weezing...counter with a Smog attack!  
  
Weezing groaned loudly as thick, black smoke spewed out of every crater in its body. Raticate and Drowzee were caught with smoke in their eyes, hacking and coughing. Raticate managed to see through the smog, leaping at Weezing, its large front teeth exposed. Its teeth bore into Weezing, causing another loud groan from Weezing.  
  
JAMES: Stand strong, Weezing! Sludge attack!  
  
After centering itself, Weezing spewed out a thick flood of sludge at its opponents. Seeing Drowzee struggling to free itself, James ordered a Tackle on Drowzee. Weezing's heavy body bowled over Drowzee, knocking it out.  
  
MEOWTH: Leave 'dat rat ta me! (leaping at Raticate) MEOWTH!!!  
  
Meowth leapt into the fray, his paws moving back and forth rapidly, claws extended in his signature Fury Swipes. When Meowth landed, Raticate keeled over, Meowth's assault too much for him. Butch and Cassidy recalled their Pokémon, disgusted.  
  
BUTCH: You've done it now! Now let's see (drawing a gun) if they can stop a speeding bullet!  
  
The laser scope on Butch's gun was aimed right between James' eyes. But before anyone could react, a bluish-white circle of light careened at Butch's gun hand, slamming into hit, knocking the gun to the ground. Remy stepped forward, zipping up his right sleeve.  
  
JAMES: What the...did you do that?  
  
REMY: Oui monseiur. Leave them to me.  
  
Now thoroughly pissed, Butch ran at Remy in an attempt to beat him into a bloody pulp. Remy bent down and flung another of his Light of Justice at Butch, which struck him in the knees, making him stumble. Remy was quick to capitalize, slamming his fist into Butch's gut. Cassidy ran at Remy when his back was turned, slamming her shoulder into him. Butch recovered in time to see Remy and Cassidy fighting.  
  
BUTCH: Get 'em, Cass!  
  
There was a tap on his shoulder. Butch turned around, and was decked by James. Butch's nose gushed blood as he fell to the ground in a daze. As that happened, Remy flipped at Cassidy, his floppy brown shoes aglow with a bright blue light as they crashed into Cassidy's chest. She staggered, and managed to get to her feet, only to have Remy leap at her again, straight as an arrow, his leg extended. Cassidy's body sailed, and landed atop Butch.  
  
The sound of sirens blared. James, Remy and Meowth froze.  
  
REMY: The police! (waving James & Meowth over) This way!  
  
The three made their way through an alley as the cops pulled up to the scene. Bystanders were quick to turn Butch and Cassidy over. They were cuffed, and stuffed into the back of the paddywagon.  
  
BUTCH & CASSIDY: Looks like Team Rocket's CARTED OFF AGAIN!!! 


	3. Deep Rooted

TIME: About a half hour later  
LOCATION: A flat on a sidestreet  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After the incident with Team Rocket, Remy took James and Meowth over to the small dwelling he inhabited most of the time. The flat was a run-down building on a street in an undesirable neighborhood. The front door had no lock on it, busted from when it was kicked in by...whoever. Lighting was dim throughout the house, which Remy shared with about six other people. James assumed there wouldn't be too much food in the house. He also wondered how these kids - they were about as old as he was - could live in such conditions; either they had nowhere else or they simply did not care. It was unlikely they owned the place, they were probably squatting. Neither would really shock James that much.  
  
Remy sulked over to the coffee maker in the dimly lit kitchen. There was a small amount of coffee floating around the bottom, and he brandished it at James, who was sitting down at the kitchen table (there were three chairs and the table was missing a leg). James refused, so Remy simply dumped the remaining slag into a coffee cup, and popped it in the microwave for about a minute. After the microwave's timer went off, he pulled out the cut, sat down beside James, and took a sip.  
  
REMY: (not looking up from his coffee) So what do you think will happen to those two?  
  
JAMES: They'll be in jail for a wihle, then they'll be back on the streets again, trying to steal Pokémon as usual. They'll probably come after me again.  
  
REMY: But where will they get the money for the bail?  
  
MEOWTH: Da boss, 'dat's who.  
  
REMY: Who's the boss?  
  
JAMES: The leader of Team Rocket is a guy named Giovanni. His dream is to take control of the world using Pokémon to do his bidding. My partner Jessie and I made a great team together, but no matter what we did, Giovanni seemed to just /iadore/i Butch and Cassidy.  
  
MEOWTH: D'ere the boss' pets, if you will. More times than not, he's often responsible fa' bailing out d'ose two whenever d'ey get arrested...something da boss has nevah done fa' us.  
  
REMY: I see. They must work very hard.  
  
JAMES & MEOWTH: FEH!  
  
JAMES: Hardly. They get by mostly by kissing ass.  
  
MEOWTH: We may be seen as bumbling idiots, but hey, at least we're puttin' forth some effort!  
  
Remy nodded solemnly in acknowledgment, then took another sip of his coffee. God knows how long it had been sitting there. Scowling at the taste, he got up, and dumped the remaining contents into the sink, over stacks of dirty dishes that have been sitting there just as long. He set the mug down, and returned to his conversation with monseiur von Malice.  
  
REMY: So tell me...how did this unpleasantness between you and your boss start?  
  
James sighed heavily. He tapped the table, looking around briefly, trying to decide how he would put this.  
  
JAMES: It all started about two years ago. It was our biggest assignment to date.  
  
MEOWTH: We were sent ta rob da Pokémon Center at Viridian City. Word was d'ere were tons a Pokémon belongin' ta dozens a trainers just waitin' ta be stolen!  
  
JAMES: We were sure of ourselves. Almost...too sure.  
  
He then went into intricate detail as to how the night went, from the time they entered the city to the resistance they had to crush, as well as the defeat they suffered at the hands of a little boy just starting out on his Pokémon journey.  
  
REMY: So that was your first experience against the one Ash Ketchum, no?  
  
MEOWTH: One of many. Too many ta count, really.  
  
JAMES: You know him?  
  
REMY: (light laugh) Yes. You see James, you think Pokémon journeys happen only in America? Heh, even here in gay Paree do I see many young children with dreams of being like the world's greatest Pokémon master. A superb fighter, one would say.  
  
JAMES: Hey, I resent that! I know how to fight, too, you know!  
  
MEOWTH: Could'a fooled me.  
  
JAMES: I know shoot iand/i freestyle wrestling, and even took boxing legends from former two-time heavyweight chamption Dudley!  
  
Dudley. That name rang a bell with Remy. He remembered briefly, the third Street Fighter tournament, in which he defeated Dudley. He also would've killed him in an hate-fueled rage had it not been for the intervention of the Bobbies.  
  
JAMES: I just...haven't been in any tournaments in a while.  
  
There was a loud WHUMP! behind them, and the three turned around to see a roommate of Remy's staggering to his feet. Apparently, he fell off the sofa he was sleeping on and was disoriented.  
  
JAMES: It got worse, though...  
  
iFlashback.../i  
  
GIOVANNI'S SECRETARY: Von Malice and Wesley here to see you, Giovanni, sir.  
  
GIOVANNI: (hard tone) Send them in.  
  
Jessie, James and Meowth nervously entered the boss's office. His hard glare frightnened them further.  
  
GIOVANNI: You two...god dammit, where do I being with you two?  
  
Giovanni paced back and forth, his hands behind his back, his Persian growling at the three of them.  
  
GIOVANNI: Every time I send you on a mission, every time you fail. You not only fail, but fail [b]miserably![/b] And it's always to the same three little loser, two-bit trainers! How could you let a handful of brats and a Pikachu humiliate you this much?! HOW?!  
  
Jessie, not one to take being yelled at by anyone, spoke first.  
  
JESSIE: Well exCUSE me, I don't see you out there trying to steal anything!  
  
GIOVANNI: I'm the boss. I don't ihave/i to do the low level work; that's what people like you are for!  
  
He pounded his desk to emphasize his last statement.  
  
GIOVANNI: When was the last time you brought back any Pokémon? Huh? Answer me!  
  
JESSIE: Oh GET WITH THE PROGRAM, WILL YOU?! It's not like we don't try to steal Pokémon, it's just that you don't understand that there are better trainers in the world than what you employ in Team Rocket!  
  
JAMES: And the "two-bit" trainers you speak of are really good! That one twerp has to be one of the best in the world!  
  
James froze. He suddenly thought about what he just said. Was he sticking up for Ash Ketchum? The same kid who made him look like a fool day in and day out?  
  
GIOVANNI: That's no excuse for your screw-ups!  
  
JAMES: And why do you drop all of your shit into our laps? Do Butch and Cassidy have to put up with this horseshit?  
  
GIOVANNI: They are much better at what they do than you two can ever hope to be.  
  
JESSIE: Don't give us that crap! Those two are the most conceited, self-centered, laziest people I've ever seen! What, do you have Butch sucking your dick or something?  
  
GIOVANNI: Excuse me?  
  
JESSIE: It wouldn't surprise me if that little slut Cassidy took it up the ass for you.  
  
JAMES: Worse yet, ihe/i takes it up the ass from both of them.  
  
JESSIE: (shudder) Do you know just how wrong that sounds?  
  
GIOVANNI: ENOUGH! You two have failed for the last time.  
  
JAMES: Enough is right. We don't deserve such lousy treatment!  
  
In a flash, James yanked his Team Rocket shirt over his head, and flung it right in Giovanni's face. He spat at the desk where his hand was, his spit landing on the back of his hand.  
  
JAMES: That's it, I'm outta here! I ain't doing shit for you anymore!  
  
James stormed out, followed closely by Meowth and Jessie (who had not yet removed her top in fear that people would see her in only a sports bra). The last Giovanni saw of James was the Crest of the von Malice family tattooed dead center on the middle of his back.  
  
iEnd flashback.../i  
  
JAMES: We made plans to run away together, maybe to go back to my native Cambridge and start over. My father owns a successful law firm; I thought I could go back and work for him. I iam/i a graduate of Harvard Law, by the way. The next day, we were attacked by Butch and Cassidy. I got the shit kicked outta me and Jessie was kidnapped. I haven't seen her since. Later I heard that she managed to escape, somehow. And I've been looking for her day in and day out...hoping to find her.  
  
James hung his head. He scrunched his eyes shut, trying to fight back the few tears that had made their presence there. Meowth yawned. He strethed out his arms and scratched the side of his head.  
  
REMY: Well...I'm sorry we don't have too much here. You are welcome to stay the night, if you wish. Just find room somewhere.  
  
JAMES: Thanks.  
  
James and Remy stood up, and walked out of the kitchen. They came a cross an unlit, unoccupied (it seemed) bedroom. His eyes made for seeing in the dark, Meowth saw no one in the room at all.  
  
MEOWTH: Da bed's a little shabby, but other d'an d'at, it's cool.  
  
JAMES: Great.  
  
James flopped on the bed and went to sleep almost immediately. Meowth hopped up, and laid near James's feet. He heard a grunt come from somewhere, and upon further inspection, saw another one of Remy's flatmates curled up in a ball on the floor between the bed and the wall. Shrugging, he curled up himself and went to sleep.  
  
Seeing James and Meowth turn in for the night made Remy tired as well. He meandered out to the living room, crashed onto the nearest open futon with a loud whump, and was out like a light in no time.  
  
=====  
  
THE NEXT MORNING...  
  
James and Meowth got an early start on their journey to find Jessie. Rising about 8, they slipped out of the flat (Remy and most of his roomates were still asleep or unconscious), grabbed a quick breakfast, and made it back a half hour later. James packed the few things he had with him and was ready to hit the road again. Remy saw him off.  
  
REMY: So, you think you'll find your partner, James?  
  
JAMES: I have to. I can't get my life back on track if I don't and I'll never forgive myself if I don't see her again!  
  
REMY: (pause) You...love her, don't you?  
  
James was silent for a moment, contemplating his friend's words.  
  
JAMES: Maybe...  
  
MEOWTH: Come on, Jimmy. We gotta get going.  
  
JAMES: Right.  
  
James kickstarted his motorcycle. The engine roared to life as he took his seat, Meowth sitting behind him, holding onto his waist.  
  
JAMES: I appreciate your hospitality, Remy.  
  
REMY: If you're ever in Paris again, look me up, no?  
  
James flashed a thumbs-up as he put up the kickstand. He revved the motorcycle, and started down the main road at that. Remy watched until James and Meowth drive away until they were out of sight.  
  
Even if he hates life and all who would fight for whatever reason, he silently wished his friend luck in his journey to find Jessie.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
End program. © 2001-2002 by Tales of the CWF productions. 


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